Immediate Family

About Edgar Samuel Andrew

Mr Edgar Samuel Andrew

On 5 May 1911, Edgar arrived in New York from Argentina on board the Vasari to visit his brother Alfredo. He would then go on to study in Bournemouth, England. A year later he was invited by Alfredo to attend to his wedding in the USA and, eventually, stay for a working position in his fiancée's (Harriet White Fisher) company (Fisher & Norris Anvil Works, of Trenton, New Jersey). He was supposed to board the Oceanic but owing to a coal strike he was forced to change his ticket and go aboard the Titanic instead.

On April 8, 1912, Edgar wrote a moving letter to his friend Josey Cowan from Argentina:

You figure Josey I had to leave on the 17th this (month) aboard the "Oceanic", but due to the coal strike that steamer cannot depart, so I have to go one week earlier on board the "Titanic". It really seems unbelievable that I have to leave a few days before your arrival, but there's no help for it, I've got to go. You figure, Josey, I am boarding the greatest steamship in the world, but I don't really feel proud of it at all, right now I wish the 'Titanic' were lying at the bottom of the ocean.

On the morning of Wednesday, 10 April 1912, Edgar arrived in Southampton by train and boarded the Titanic as a second-class passenger (ticket no. 231945, £11 10s). On the afternoon of that same day, while on their way to Cherbourg, Edgar bought a postcard in the barbershop, which was sent to his brother Wilfred on the farm in San Ambrosio. Later on, in the reading and writing room, he wrote:

"From this colossal ship I'm pleased to greet you. I'll be arriving in Ireland today, where I will spend a few hours. On its first trip I'm inaugurating this... (illegible)." - Edgardo.